Paper-cutting machine



Feb; 9 1926. 1,572,617- J. E. MULRONEY PAPER CUTTING MACHINE File d'June 10, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 9, 1926.

J. E. MULRONEY PAPER CUTTING momma Filed June 10, 1922 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lw w 5 m K M X p l n w m m ,Y W A T 1, i W m m ,1 J m. 1 I F W Q w 3 Q m w H v .1 1 EH! I c w q fpmvwk u I (I'll! w Q Feb. 9,1926. 1,572,617

J. E. MULRONE-Y PAPER CUTTING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 9, i926.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. MULRONEY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rnrnnson'rrme MACHINE.

Application filed June 10, 1922. Serial No. 567,425.

To (ZZZ whom, it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN E. MULnoNnr, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of paper cutting machines having a table or bed, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamp mounted above the bed, a knife or cutter mounted in movable relation to and operatively connected with the clamp, and having operating means whereby the clamp is automatically secured in and released from clamping engagement with the paper or material to be operated upon, and whereby the knife is adapted to be moved downward with respect to the clamp, and at the desired angle, in cutting engagement with the paper.

The invention relates further to an improved means for enabling the paper to be accurately placed in position for cutting, and released and handled with facility and with safety to the operator, during the operation of cutting or trimming the paper to be operated upon.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and efficient paper cutting or trimming machine.

A. further object of the invention is to provide paper cutting machine of simple and economical construction, and having means for enabling the upwardly and downwardly movable clamp to be automatically moved into and locked in and released from clamping engagement with the paper or material to be operated upon, and adapted to enable the knife or cutter to move at the desired angle with. respect to the paper and with respect to the clamp when the latter is in clamping position.

A further obejct of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for enabling the paper to he moved into and out of position to be operated upon, cut or trimmed, with facility and without the necessity of the operator placing his hands beneath or in a dangerous position with respect to the knife in positioning or removing the paper, or in operating the machine.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, details of construction, and

arrangement of parts herein described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a paper cutting machine constructed in accordance with my invention, with parts broken away for the purpose of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the means for supporting and operating the knife or cutter, and the movable gauge and stop mechanism for controlling the position of the paper and material to be operated upon;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation, showing the upwardly and downwardly movable clamp, and the locking and releasing mechanism. for automatically locking the clamp in clamping engagement with the paper to be operated upon, and formleasing the clamp to permit the removal of the paper, a portion of the locking mechanism, including a spring pressed locking member or shoe being shown in section;

Fig. f is an enlarged detail view in vertical section taken on line 44l of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5- is an enlarged detail view in section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the locking and releasing mechanism for locking and releasing the paper clamp, and the means for operatively connecting the cutter with the locking and releasing mechanism and clamp;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the gauge and stop mechanism facilitating the placing of the paper in proper position with respect to the knife and clamp;

Fig. 7 is a side view in elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6, and shows the stop mechanism for stopping and releasing the adjustable gauge in the several desired predetermined positions for positioning the paper or material to be operated upon;

Fig. 8 is a detail view in transverse vert1- cal section taken on'line 8 8 of Fig. 6,1001:- ing in'the direction indicated bythe arrows, and showing the intermediate stop or stopping and releasing means for controlling the position of the transverse gauge, and also the manner of mounting and supporting the adustable gauge; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view in frontelevation showing the adjustable transverse gauge and the stopping and releasing mechanism for controlling and releasing the same.

In constructing a paper cutting machine in accordance with my invention, I provide a main frame 1, comprising end frames 2, 2, having front legs 3 and back legs 4 adapted to support a bed or table 5, and other parts of the machine, including upper end frame members Tand 8. The upper extremities 6 of the upper front end frame mem bers 7, and upper upright rear end frame members 8 are rigidly connected by means of a transverse upper frame member or metallic cross beam 9, the opposite ends of which are firmly secured in rigid relation to said upright end fran'ie members and 8, by means of bolts 10, or other suitable securing means.

The front upright frame members 7, and rear upright frame members 8, are spaced apart and in parallel relation to each other so as to form vertical slots or spaces 11 therebetween, adapted to admit and permit the upward and downward movements of the knife or cutter 14, which comprises a knife bar 12 and blade 13, rigidly connected and slidably mounted in said slots and between the parallel inner upright guiding surfaces formed by saidjupright end frame members 7 and 8. v

The knife bar or cutter bar 12 is of greater length than the width of the machine, or the distance from outside to outside of the upright end frame members Y and 8 on the opposite sides of the machine. And horizontal slots 15, 15, are provided in the opposite ends of the cutter bar for receiving operating pins 20 and rollers 21, hereinafter described.

Mounted upon and in sliding engagement with both the front and rear sides of the knife bar 12, at the opposite ends thereof, and in position :to straddle and permit the longitudinal movement of the knife 14 transversely of the machine, is a pair of re ciprocating sliding guides or yokes 16, 16, each comprising in its construction-a front yoke member or bracket 17 and a rear yoke member, slide or shoe 18, which are secured in fixed relation to each other, and in sliding engagement with the front and rear faces, respectively, of the cutter bar at or near the oppositeends thereof. These yokes 16, 16, are slidingly mounted between and in sliding engagement with vertical gibs or guiding flanges 19, which are adapted to guide and permit the upward and downward movement of the reciprocating yokes with the knife and in sliding engagen'ient with the guiding ways orgibs thus formed on the opposite sides of the machine.

Mounted in each yoke and in position to extend through a corresponding horizontal slot 15 in the cutter bar or knife is a transverse bolt or pin 20, one end of which is supported in the forward yoke, member or manner as to permit freedom of movement of the c utter bar with respect to the clamp and transversely with respect to the yokes, during the upward and downward movement of the yokes and cutter bar.

Each of the yokes 16 is provided with an operating rod or pitman 22, the upper end of which is connected with the forked bottom end 23 of the corresponding yoke 16 by means of a pivot pin 2%. And the lower end of each pitman. 22 operatively connected with operating means of any suitable form, or with a source of power which may be of any desired well known or suitable form. In this instance, an electric motor 25 is provided, having a motor shaft '26 on which is fixed a. spur pinion 27. A main drive shaft 28 is journaled in suitable bearings 29 in the main frame and provided with crank arms at the opposite ends of said drive shaft. And each of said crank arms is operatively connected with the lower extremity of a corresponding reciprocating operating rod or pitman 22 by means of" a crank pin 31. r

The main drive shaft 28 is operatively connected with the motor shaft 26 by means of a suitable train of gears, and suitable shaft mechanism, comprising a counter shaft 32 journaled in suitable bearings 33 in the main frame, and in parallel relation to the main driving shaft, said counter-shaft having a spur gear wheel 84 fixed thereto and in toothed engagement with said pinion 27 on the motor shaft. A spur pinion 35, fixed to the countershaft 82, is in toothed engagement with a spur gear wheel 36 fixed to the main driving shaft 28. Suitable clutch mechanism, comprising clutch mem bers 87 and 38, one of which is fixed to the hub of the gear wheel 36 and the other of which is mounted upon the main drive shaft 28 and movable longitudinally. of said main drive shaft, and into and out of clutching engagement with the clutch member 37, is adapted to be connected with suitable operating pedal or lever mechanism, which may be of any desired ordinary and wellknown form, adapted to enable the main drive shaft to be opcrathely connected with and released fron'rthe source of power, as desired. A fly wheel '39 is shown fixed to the shaft 32.

From the fore oin 'descri ti-on it will be readily understood those skilled in the art that the means for operating the pitrnan rods 22 may be of any desired ordinary and well known or suitable form, and may include any desired suitable form of tripping or releasing mechanism.

An upwardly and downwardly movable clam-p it), in the form of a transverse n'ietal lie clamping bar, is slidably mounted directly in front of, and "with its rear surface in slid-able engagement with or djace nt to the front side of the knife bar 12 and blade 13, already described. The clamping bar or clamp 10 extends across the machine and over and in transverse relation to the bed or table 5, already described, and is slidably mounted between and with its upright opposite ends in slidable engagement with gibs or guiding flanges =11 on the itipright end frame members 7. The opposite end faces of the. clamp 10 are in abutting slidable engagement with and directly between the opposed inner side faces 42 of the front upright end frame members 7, already described. (See Figs. 1, 3, 1 and 5).

The clamp/l has a central upward extension or projecting portion 43 directly in front of a similar upwardly extending por" tion or extension 14 of the cutter bar 12.

A clamp operating pin, stud, block, or boss l is mounted in and in fixed rigid relation to the upper portion or extension 1% of the knife or knife bar 12, and is provided at its forward extremity with an antifriction roller or hearing member 16, which projects forward beyond the front face of the knife bar 12, and into an upwardly extending transversely inclined slot 4:7 formed in the upwardly extending portion 13 of the clamping bar 10, already described. An upper inclined arm or flange el8forrned, by preference, in one integral piece with the clamping bar forms an upper downwardly facing inclined wall 49 of the slot 47. And an upper inclined margin or edge of the clamping bar 40, forms a lower upwardly facing inclined wall 51 of the slot 47, said walls 50 and 51. of said inclined slot being by preference in parallel relation, and spaced apart so as to admit the antifriction roller or bearing member 46, already described, and permit 'the move ment of said roller within and longitudinally of said elongated inclined slot 17 and beneath and in engagement with said inclined arm 48.

The roller -16 is of sufficient length to projcct forward beyond the front edge of the bottom inclined wall 51 of the slot 4:7, and in position to enable said roller 16 and oper ating pin 15, which supports said roller on the knife bar, to operatively engage the upper inclined face of a spring-pressed clamp operating and locking lever arm 52, which is pivotally mounted upon the front face of the clamp bar 40 and pressed upward in operative engagement with the stud, pin or boss 45 or anti-friction roller or hearing member or equivalent element- 16 by means of a compression spring 73 mounted on the clamp bar 40 and forming a connectionbe tween the knife or knite bar 12, clamp-opera ting stud, boss or men-"there la, 26 arm or lever 52, spring 73 and the clamp or clamp bar -l0 whereby the downward movement of the knife bar with the boss 45 and bearing member 16 thereon will exert a downward pressure on the lever or spring pressed arm and spring 73 which are thus caused to exert a downward pressure on the clamp bar 10 and hold said bar down in clamping engagement with the paper to be operated on whenever the clamp is in its lowered paperengaging or clan'iping position. A headed supporting pivot pin 53, anchored in the front side of the clamping bar ll) and adapted to extend through a suitable opening 5 1-, in the lower end of the locking lever 52, pivotally supports said lever in operative position, and in approximately parallel relation to the longitudinal cent-er ofthe inclined slot The pivoted lever 5.2 is thus in position to engage the bottom peripheral portion of the anti-friction roller etti, at one side of the axial center thereof, or on the opposite side of said roller from the arm dB.

The downward movement of the knife bar 12 will thus cause the clan'i' roperating pin 45 and its roller at to press the locking lever 52 downward as said pin and roller are moved downward lengthwise of the inclined slot 47 in the clamp 40, after the clamp i0 has been stopped in its downward movement by coming in contact with the top of the paper to be operated upon. A

And it is plain that the knife bar 12 will be guided downward and transversely of the table or bed of the machine at an incline corresponding with the inclination of the slot 4 The locking lever 52 has a lower lever arm 55, which is operatively connected with a locking member or shoe 56, having a hollow stem portion 57 which is slidably mounted in a supporting socket or sleeve 58. The sleeve 58 is fixed to the clamp 40 by means of screws or other suitable securing means. The locking shoe 56 has a friction block or lining member 60 mounted thereon and secured in position by means of screws 61, or other suitable securing means. The friction lining (it) is formed of suitable material such as is commonly used for friction blocks or linings for brakeshoes, and is mounted in position to frictionally engage the adjacent upright inn r surface 12 of the adjacent upright end frame member 7 between the flange or gib provided with 41 and the knife bar '12. The clamp 40 is thus held in clamping position against the top of the paper when the locking .shoe 56 is moved into locking engagement with said surface 42 of frame member 7 against which the adjacent end face of the clamp 40 abuts and is adapted to slide when the locking mechanism is released. \founted in a hollow stem 57 of the locki member or shoe 56, is a bolt or spring-pressed stem member 62, having a projecting end 63, which is an opening 64 therein through which extenes a connecting pivot pin 65. The opposite ends of said pin are mounted in the slotted projecting forked end portions 66 of the lever arm 55. The bolt 62 has a collar or peripheral flange 67 at or near its projecting pivoted end, and isprovided with a head or washer 68 on its opposite end and movable in an opening 69 in the locking member 56 into and out of engagement with an annular shoulder 70 at the inner extremity of'the hollow stem 57. A compressible helical spring 71, mounted in an enlarged portion of the axial opening 72 in the hollow stem 57 surrounds the bolt 62 and engages the collar 67 on said bolt. The spring 71 thus tends to press the locking member 56 into frictional engagement with the adjacent face of the upright end frame member 7 and away from the lever arm 55 of the locking lever 52, and also tends to press the locking member 52 upward or against the anti-friction roller 46 on the clamp operatingpin 45 which is anchored in the knife bar 12. The spring 57 yieldingly resists the movement of the lower looking lever arm 55 as the latter is pressed toward the locking shoe member 56, and permits a limited play or lost motionbetween the lever arm 55 and said locking friction member or shoe 56, but is sn'liiciently strong to hold the latter in locking frictional engagement with the adjacent surface of the frame member 7. See Figs. 3 and A compressible helical spring 73 is mounted upon the clampbar 40 in position to operatively engage and constantly tend to press the locking lever 52 upward against the periphery of the roller 46 and tends to move the lower lever arm 55 and shoe 56 to releasing position. The lower end of this spring 73 is supported upon a boss 74 secured to the front face of the clamp bar 40 by means of screws or rivets 75, or other suitable securing means; and the upper end of said spring is operatively connected with the outer upper end of the locking: lever 52 by suitable connecting means. For this purpose a sleeve or head 76 is interposed between the lever 52 and said spring; and an adjusting screw 77 is mounted upon and in threaded engagement with the lever 52 and with its lower end rotatively mounted in a suitable recess in the sleeve or'collar 76,

to be operated upon.

so that the tension of the spring can be readily regulated. The degree of pressure of the locking lever 52 against the roller 46 may thus be regulated by turning the adjusting screw in the proper direction to increase or decrease the tension of the spring 7 3, as desired. A boss 78 on the front side of the clamp bar 40 is adapted to engage the bottom face or boss 7 9 on the lower side of the locking lever 52, to positively limit the downward movement of said lockin lever when its upper face 80 is flush with the bottom face of the elongated slot 47 and parallel with the bottom inclined face of the inclined arm 48 fixed to and forming an integral part of the clamp 40, as already described.

The knife-blade 13 is adjustably secured in position upon the knife-bar 12, already described, by means of headed screws 81 anchored in the blade and extending through vertically elongated slots 82 in the knife bar, and vertical non-rotative adjusting pins 83 are mounted in upright openings 84 in the knife bar 12 and held in position against the upper edge of the knife blade by means of threaded adjusting screws 85 which are in threaded engagement with the knife bar. (See Figs. 3 and 4.)

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the knife 14, comprising knife bar 12 and blade 13, and having the clamp operating pin 45 and anti-friction roller 46 mounted thereon and in position to extend into the inclined slot 47 and in engage ment with the locking lever 52 and fixed arm 48 on the clamp or clamping bar 40, is adapted to raise the clamp or clamping bar 40 when the upward movement of the knife has reached apoint at which the looking lever 52 will be released and permitted to occupy the releasing position in which it is shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, with the roller 46 just above the inclined shoulder 86, and in engagement with a depressed or recessed portion 87 of the locking lever 52. The locking shoe 56 is thus held in retracted or releasing position. The lowering of the knife, with its clamp operating pin 45 and anti-friction roller 46, will cause said pin and roller to lower the clamp bar 40, along with the knife, and with the bottom edge 88 of the clamp bar below and in advance of the bottom edge of the knife 13, during the initial downward movement of the knife and clamp until the clamp bar engages the top of the paper and is prevented from further downward movement by the resistance afforded by the paper or material The further clownward movement of the knife with its clampoperating and locking pin 45 and roller 46 will cause the latter to press the locking lever 52 downward to the lockingposition indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3, thus causing the locking member or shoe 56 to be yieldmgly pressed into looking or t ght frictional engagement with the adjacent frame member 7. as already described, and causing the clamp L0 to securely hold the paper clamped in position to be out. l he clamp being thus lOCliBd in clamping engagement with the paper or marterialto be cut or trimmed, it is plain that the further downward movement of the knife will cause the knife to move downward and transverse ly of the machine at an incline corresponding with the inclination of the slot 4'? and locking lever during the further do-wn ward lllO'VC'lIlG'llil ol the knife while the latter is in actual cutting engagen'ient wit-h the paper or material to he ope-rated upon.

In order to provide suit-able, simple and etlicient means for positioning the paper or enabling it to be placed with facility and accuracy in exactly the correct positions with respect to the knife in such a manner as to avoid and prevent the necessity of endangering the hands of the operator, and render it unnecessary to place them heneath, or in a dangerous position with respect to, the knife, su-itable g-augea-nd stop mechanism is provided, which is constructed and adapted to operate as follows:

A stationary upright side gauge 90 is mounted upon the bed of table "5 01. the machine at or near one side of the same, and is in position to extend at right angles to the knife 1% and clamp e0, and in front of the clamp. A movable upright transverse gauge 91 is slidahly mounted in operative engagement with, and in movablerelation to, the side gauges 90, and in position to extend at right angles to the latter and with the front face of the movable gauge 91. parallel to the ed e of the knife blade 13. The bot-tom edge of the gauge 91 is in sliding engagement with the top face of the table 5. The movable transverse gauge 91 is, by preference, flat and rectangularin form and is adapted to be guided by the side gauge 90, and to be moved lengthwise of the latter to different adjusted positions. Tl-ie movable transverse gauge 91 is provided with a forwardly extending wing or flange 92 having a top flange 93, which extends over and downward on the outside of the upper edge of the side gauge 90. And a bottom inwardly projectingflange or guiding; bar 941: is fixed to said outer flange 93 in sliding engagement and in position to extend into an outer longitudinal groove.

in the outer face of the upright side gauge, so as to form a guide or slide for the moval-ile gauge. A laterally pro ecting stop OtL-wh-ich is formed, by preference, of tempered steel, is mounted upon the upper extremity or enlarged portion 97 of the mova hle gauge 91, or the end flange 92 of said gauge. This stop 96 is secured in. position by means of headed screws 98 and 99, or other suitable securing means. The stop 96 is provided with openings for receiving said screws; and I preferthat the opening in which the securing screw 99 is mounted, should he in the form of a slot, the bottom oi which is open and faces downward so as to limit the downward movement of the pivoted stop 96 and permit the said stop to he swung upward upon the pivot formed by the screw 98, when desired. 100 may he provided upon the stop 96 as a convenient means tor operating the same. And a spring 101 of any ordinary form is adapted to hold the stop 96 in its lower-ed o 'ie radive position against the screw 99. $aid screw may be tightened so as to hold the stop 96 rigid, when desired. A supporting rod or bar 102 is mounted upon suitable ln-ac'kets 103 which project outwardly from the upright side gauge 90, and is spaced apart from and in parallel relation to the side gauge, so as to enable suitable stops to he adjustably mounted upon said supporting har 1:02, and in position to stop theinovable transverse gauge or front gauge 91 in any desired predetermined position, as re quired, in order to properly position the paper or material to be operated upon.

The supporting bar 102 is, by preference, provided with suitable graduations 104C, for enabling; the position oi the movable gauge 91, and the positions ofthe adjustable stops .for controlling; the predetermined positions of the gauge 91 to be readily determined and known to the operator,

lilounted upon and in adjustable relation to the supporting bar 102 is a rear stop 105, which is the form of a split ring or collar, which encircles the supporting bar 102, and

provided with outer laterally projecting lugs 106 in which is mounted a clamping screw 1-07. This screw is in threaded engagement with one of said lugs, and its head engages the other lug, so that the screw is adapted to clampthe stop in anydesired predetermined position upon the supporting bar. It is obvious that the stop may be readily released by turning thescrew to releasing position.

The rear step 105 has an inwardly projecting storriinger 137 which projects into the path of moven'ient of the stop 96 on the -transverse i'novahle range 91, and engages the rear face or said step 96 to limit the rearward movement of the gauge.

A sin'iilar forward stop 108, having similar perforated lugs 109 anda headed clamp ing screw 110 in threaded engagement with one of said lugs and withits head in en- ;gagement with the other one of said lugs, is

mounted -upon and encircles the stop supporting; bar 102, in advance of the back step 105, already described. The stop 108 has an inwardly projecting); transverse extension 1 one of said lugs.

108 on the supporting bar 102, and comprises in its construction a split sleeve or collar 115 having laterally projecting outer lugs 116 perforated to receive a clamping screw 117 which is mounted in threaded engagement with one of said lugs, and with its head in engagement with the-other or upper The screw is thus adapted to clamp the sleeve 115 securely in any position on the stop bar 102 to which it is adjusted. An angular pivoted stop finger 118 is pi'votally mounted on the inner side of. the split sleeve 115, the inner face of which is flattened so as to provide a flat vertical face parallel .to the direction of movement of the gauge 91. A headed screw 119 is mounted in the sleeve 115 in position to extend horizontally and in'perpendicular relation to the vertical inner flat face of the sleeve 115, and transversely of the machine and the direction of movement of the transverse gauge 91, and forms a pivot for said angular movable stop finger 118. The pivoted stop finger 118 is provided witha depending rear shoulder 120, which extends below the axial center of said stop finger and faces rearward, and is adapted to engage the front face of av laterally projecting v inner transverse shoulder 12] on the lower inner-rear extremity of the clamping sleeve The handle 122 on the pivoted pawl or intermediate. stop finger 118 affords a convenient means for enabling the operator to raise and release the said stopping finger when desired. And a spring 123, secured to the extension 121 on the sleeve 115 by means of a screw 12 1, and having its upper end in sliding engagement with the rear face of the handle 122, is adapted to hold the stop finger or pawl 118 yieldingly in lowered operative position; that is to say, in such position that the inwardly projecting angular end 125 of the stopping finger 118 will engage the rear face-126 of the stop 96 on the movable transverse .gauge 91, already described, when said'gauge 91 and the stop 96 thereon are moved rearward with the paper to be operated upon,'into position to cause such engagement. The bottom edge 127 of the angular end 125 of the stop ping finger 118 and the forward edge 128 of the stop 96 are beveled or inclined, so as to permit said stops to readily pass each other, and cause the stop 118 to be automatically raised so as to permit the stop 96 to pass under the stop finger 118 of the intermediate stop 114 and forward into engagement with the stop finger 111 of the forward stop 108. The split sleeve of the forward stop 108 has a rearwardly extending sleeve portion 129, the rear face of which is rearward from the rear face 112 of the stop finger 111 a distance equal to the width of the stop 96.

This enables the correct position of the stop 108 with respect to the stops 114i, 105, 118 and 96, to be readily and accurately deter.- mined.

lhesuppOrting bar 102 may be, and is here shown, rockingly mounted in the brackets 103, so as to enable the stopsmounted on said supporting bar to be partially rotated or raised out of operative position, or entirely out of the path of movement of the stop 96, so as to permit freedom of movement of the gauge 91 throughout the entire length of the feed table, and of the side gauge 90, when desired. A releasing lever 130 is fixed to the forward end of the rocking supporting bar 102; and a tension spring 131, having its bottom end secured to a suitable support and its upper end con-' nected with the annular head 132 on the lower endof the lever 130, serves to yieldingly hold the stop bar 132 in operative position, and in position to support the stops 105, 114 and 108 in operative position. 1

stop pin 133 on theupper extremity of the bracket 103 is between and adapted to engage 'the peripheral shoulders 134; on the head 132, so as to limit the extent of rotation of the supporting bar 102.

In operation, the paper or materialto be cut,.trimined or operated upon is laid upon the feed table 5, with the forwardside margins of the sheets in contact-with the rear face 135 of the transverse movable gauge 91, and with the end edges of the stacked sheets or pages in contact with the adjacent inner face 136 of the upright side gauge 90. The gauge 91 is then moved rearward or toward the knife by the operator, until the rear face of the stop 96 on the movable gauge 91 comes into contact with the forward face 1370f the rear stop 105, thus bringing the rear side margin of the paper beneath the knife and clamp and into the desired predetermined position for cutting or trimming the rear side edge or margin of the stack of sheets or pages. The knife is then lowered, causing the clamp 40 to clamp the paper and securely hold it in position upon the table, and causing the knife to cut or trim the rear side margin ofthe sheets or pages. The knife is then raised and the clamp released from clamping engagement .with the paper, and the paper is then turned into such position that the trimmed side is parallel, and, by preference, in engagement with the inner 'face 136 of the side gauge 90, already described, the front end margins of the sheets or pages being in contact with the rear face 135 of the transverse gauge 91 which should be previously moved forward in advance of the paper to such position that the forward face 113 of the stop 96 on the movable gauge 91 will engage the rear face 112 of the forward stationary stop 111. The paper having been moved forward so that the front end margins of the sheets or pages engage the upright rear face of the transverse stop 91 when the latter'is in the last-mentioned position, the cutter, clamp, and clamp-locking and releasing mechanism are then again operateo so as to cut or trim the rear end margins of the sheets. The knife being then raised, and the clamp released from clamping engagement with the paper, the paper is reversed end for end, so that its end margins thus cut by the operation of the knife, as-last described, will face forward and in contact with the rear upright face of the gauge 91. Said gauge, with the paper thus in contact with its rear face, is then moved rearward along with the paper until the rear face 126 of the stop 96, on the gauge 91 comes into contact with the forward face of the transversely projecting end linger 125 of the pivoted stop finger 118, of intermediate stop 114:, thus bringing the rear end margins of the sheets in proper position beneath the knife and clamp, which are then again operated upon, as already described.

Assuming that the remaining uncut or untrimmed side margins of the sheets or pages are bound, or" in book form, it is, of course, only necessary to out or trim the three margins, as already described. It is obvious, however, that as many cuts may be made as may be desired, and that any desired margins may be cut or trimmed in any desired order. And the paper to be 0perated upon may be placed in any desired position on the table, or with respect to the cutter and clamp, without the necessity of the operator placing his hands beneath the knife or in a dangerous position, either in placing the paper beneath the knife, or in the operation of cutting.

'l he paper to be operated upon and the gauge and stop mechanism are at all times in front of the knife, or on the same side of the knife and clamp with the operator, and, therefore, in the most convenient position for enabling the paper to be cut or trimmed. The gauge and stop mechanism are in position tobe adjusted. and operated accurately and with facility, and with the greatest possible convenience and safety to the operator. The table or bed is without openings therein or obstructions thereon and pre sents a smooth unbroken surface for supporting the paper or material to be fed tothe knife and cut or trimmed. And the transverse gauge moves with the paper and. while in contact with the edges of the sheets, so that the edges are maintained in uniform even position during the feeding and cutting operation, and the operations are accomplished with facility and accuracy, and with safety to the operator.

I claim:

1. In apaper cutting machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a feed table mounted on said frame, a knife reciprocati-n-gly mounted in the frame and in transverse relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable paper-engaging clamp sl idably mounted in the main frame in parallel relation to the knife and providedwith an upwardly and downwardly extending elongated inclined slot, a clamp supporting and operating pin anchored in the knife and extending into said inclined slot, anti-friction means interposed between said pin and the walls of said inclined slot, locking means mounted upon said clamp and adapted to frictionally engage a stationary frame member, to hold the clamp in clamping en agement with the paper to be operated upon, a lockinglever arm operatively connected with said locking means and adapted to beengaged and operated by said clamp supporting and operating means, and; means for operating said knife and thereby automatically raising, lowering, locking and releasing said clam-p,

2. In a paper cutting machine of the class described", the. combination of main frame, a feed table mounted on said frame, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in the frame in transverse relation to the food table, an up wardly and downwardly movable paper-err gaging clamp slidahly mounted in the main frame in parallel relation to the knife and provided with an upwardly and downwardly extending, elongated, inclined slot, a clamp operating pin anchored in said knife bar and extending into said elongated inclinedcally raising, lowering, locking and releasing said clamp.

3. In a paper cutting machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a feed table mountedon said frame, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in the frame in transverse relation to the feed table and provided with elongated longitudinal slots in the opposite ends of the knife, a yoke in operative engagement with and embracing each of the slotted end portions of said knife, a pin mounted in each yoke and extending through and in movable relation to each of said elongated slots in the knife, an upwardly and downwardly movable paper-engaging clamp slidably mounted in the main frame in parallel-relation to the knife and provided with an upwardly and downwardly extending elongated inclined slot, a clamp operating pin anchored in said knife bar and extending into said elongated inclined slot in the clamp, a-ntifriction means interposed between said clamp supporting and operating pin and the side walls of said elongated inclined slot, locking means mounted on said clamp and adapted to be operatively engaged and operated by said clamp supporting and operating pin and anti-friction means, and means for operating said knife engaging yokes to raise and lower the knife and thereby operate the clamp and clamp locking and releasing mechanism.

4. In a paper cutting machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a feed table mounted on said frame, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in the frame and extending over and transversely 'with respect to the feed table, a stationary upright gauge located forward of the knife-and adjacent to the side margin of the feed table and having its inner upright face perpendic ular t0 the top face of the feed table and at right angles with respect to the knife, an upright transverse gauge mounted upon the feed table and in freely movable relation to the top surface of said table and said sta tionary gauge, a projecting stop mounted on said movable upright transverse gauge, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamp slidably mounted in the main frame in front of and in parallel relation to the knife and between said knife and said freely movable transverse gauge and adapted to engage and securely hold the paper to be operated upon in position between the knife and table, a series of adjustable stops mounted adjacent to said upright movable transverse gauge and at different distances from the knife, said series of stops comprising a back stop adapted to engage the projecting stop on said movable transverse gauge to limit the movement of said gauge toward the knife in a predetermined position of the gauge, a forward stop adapted to engage and limit the forward movement of said n'ojecting stop and movable gauge at a predetermined forward operative position of said gauge,

and an intermediate adjustable stop mounted between said rear stop and forward stop and adapted to engage and release the stop upon said movable transverse gauge, to stop and release said gauge in a predetermined intermediate position of the same, and means for operating said knife and clamp.

5. In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping member mounted adjacent and in movable relation to the knife, and clamp-operating mechanism comprising a boss connected and movable with the knife, and a spring-pressed arm mounted on the said clamping member and adapted to be operatively engaged and pressed downward by said boss into clamping engagement with paper to be operated upon.

6. In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping bar mounted adjacent and in movable relation to the knife, and clampoperating mechanism comprising a compression spring mounted on said clamp bar, a boss mounted on and movable with the knife, and means for operatively connecting said boss on the knife with said spring on the clamp bar.

7. In a paper cutting machine, the com bination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping bar adjacent to and in movable relation to the knife, a clamp-operating boss connected and movable with the knife, and a spring-pressed arm pivotally mounted on said clamping bar and in operative engagement with said boss on said knife and adapted to be pressed downward by said boss, to hold the clamping bar in clamping engagement with paper to be 0perated upon.

8. In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping bar mounted in front of and in movable relation to the knife, a clamp-operating boss fixed to and movable with the knife, and a spring-pressed arm mounted on said clamping bar and in operative engagement with said boss and adapted to be pressed downward by the boss to hold the clamping bar in clamping engagement with paper tobe operated upon.

9.'In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table and comprising a knife bar and blade, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping bar mounted in front of and in movable relation to the knife, a clampoperating boss mounted on and movable with the knife bar, and spring and lever mechanism mounted on the clamping bar and in operative engagement with said boss, and forming a yielding connection between said knife bar and said clamping bar.

10. In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping bar adjacent to and movable with respect to the knife, an inclined slot in said clamping bar and having an inclined upper rigid arm forming an upper downwardly facing inclined wall of said slot, a boss fixed to and movable with said knife and extending'into said slot beneath said inclined arm, and a spring-pressed lever mounted on said clamping bar and in opera tive engagement with said boss and adapted to be pressed downward by the latter, to hold the clamping bar in lowered clamping position in clamping engagement with paper to be operated upon.

11. In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping bar mounted in front of and in movable relation to the knife, a

clamp-operating boss on and movable with the knife, a spring-pressed lever pivotally mounted on the clamping bar and in operative engagement with and adapted to be pressed downward by said boss, and locking means operatively connected with and adapted to be operated by said spring pressed lever, for locking the clamping bar in clamping position.

12. In a paper cutting machine, the combination of a feed table, a knife reciprocatingly mounted in movable relation to the feed table, an upwardly and downwardly movable clamping'bar mounted in front of and in movable relation to the knife, a clamp-operating member on and movable with the knife, an inclined rigid arm on the clamping bar and extending over and in engagement with said clamp-operating member on said knife, a spring-pressed lever pivotally mounted on the clamping bar and in operative engagement with and adapted to be pressed, downward by the clamp-operating member on said knife, and means for operating the knife.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 31st day of May, 1922. a

JOHN E. MULRONEY. 

